Escambia School Board Votes 3-2 To Increase Property Taxes
July 22, 2022
The Escambia County School District voted 3-2 Tuesday to move forward with effectively raising property taxes, following a recommendation by Superintendent Tim Smith.
The motion to advertise the tax increase was made by District 5 board member Bill Slayton and seconded by Patty Hightower. Slayton, Hightower and Dr. Laura Edler voted in favor, while Kevin Adams and Paul Fetsko voted against.
The board approved a total millage rate of 5.274 which will generate $139.35 million. It’s a rate lower than the current year rate of 5.657 mills, but due to rising home values, it will generally cost many taxpayers more.
A lower rolled-back rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as approved for the prior year. The rolled-back rate was calculated at 4.914 mills, which would generate $129.84 million. A millage rate higher than the rolled-back rate is defined by the State of Florida as a tax increase and must be advertised as such.
Board chairman Kevin Adams said raising taxes now was not the right move as people are facing a 9.1% inflation rate.
“They are having to tighten their budget,” Adams said. “I think it’s a little bit too easy to raise people’s property bills. With the 9.1 inflation, we are getting more half-cent sales tax money, the other side of the picture. Our tax roll has grown by 18%; it’s historic…there’s more tax money coming in (from sales tax).”
“The general public is adamantly opposed to anything that has the title of tax increase,” Fetsko said.
“We have plenty of ability to look out our budget and see what on that wish list we can’t do,” Adams said. “We’ve got an increased tax base; we’ve got an increased half-cent sales tax. We’re not getting less coming in; we’ve got growth coming.”
“We are trying to hire teachers; we are trying to maintain the academic standards we are used to,” Slayton said. “I’m not sure that cutting $7 million (by lowering the millage rate) that we are going to be able to do that. So I want to make sure as you vote you understand that you could cause a huge embarrassment for the Escambia County Schools.”
“We are not buying luxury items. This is the recommendation in order to keep us where we are. We’re not buying anything new that we have not bought before.
The school board will hold a lenitive budget hearing on Thursday, July 28 at 5 p.m. The board will hear public comment and can change the millage rate if so desired.
Cantonment Man Charged With Breaking Into Ambulance Outside Hospital ER
July 22, 2022
A Cantonment man is accused of breaking into an ambulance after an incident this week at the West Florida Hospital emergency room.
Joshua Daniel Deluca, 24 was charged with felony unarmed burglary of an authorized emergency vehicle, trespassing failure to leave upon request, and disorderly conduct. He remained in jail Friday morning with bond set at $17,000.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy was waiting on a room with a patient when she observed Deluca running, jumping and screaming, “God be with us!”, an arrest report states. The deputy exited the ER and observed Deluca in a prone position near an ambulance and a marked Sheriff’s Office vehicle. He was bleeding from hitting his head on the pavement, the report continues.
A nurse told deputies that Deluca was calm prior to being discharged. When he was told that he had to leave the emergency room, he became irate and ran through the ER screaming and knocking over medical equipment, according to an arrest report. His belongings were placed near the main ER entrance.
Deluca ran and jumped into an unlocked, running ambulance that was parked nearby and got into the driver’s seat. A nurse “assisted” Deluca from the driver’s seat to prevent him from driving away in the ambulance and potentially hitting people that were nearby.
Deluca was trespass-warned from West Florida Hospital, unless seeking medical treatment.
When You Need A Friend: Bratt Elementary PTA Donates New ‘Buddy Benches’
July 22, 2022
Bratt Elementary School has new “Buddy Benches” thanks to the Bratt PTA.
“These will be used to help our children show kindness to other children who need a friend and to help them feel more included. If a child feels lonely or needs a friend, they can sit on the bench and our teachers will make sure a friend comes along to help cheer them up,” according to the PTA.
The benches were assembled by volunteers and are ready for the first day of school.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay Woman, Atmore Man Killed In Four-Vehicle Alabama Crash
July 22, 2022
An Alabama traffic crash has claimed the life of a woman from Jay and a man from Atmore.
The crash happened on I-65 in Creola, north of Mobile. According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, 37-year old Brittney K. Talbot of Jay was fatally injured when the 2001 Honda Civic she was driving was struck by a 2021 Dodge Ram driven by 35-year old David R. Mayfield, of Springville, Alabama.
Talbot’s Civic then crossed the median into the northbound lanes of traffic and struck a 2021 Ford F-150 driven by 55-year old Jesse M. Reed of Bay Minette and a 2015 Toyota Highlander driven by 28-year old Timothy M. Ratliff of Mount Olive.
Talbot and her passenger, 38-year old Christopher D. Knighten of Atmore, were pronounced deceased on scene. Troopers said they were not wearing seat belts.
The investigation is continuing.
Walnut Hill Man Charged In Pensacola Shots Fired Incident
July 22, 2022
A Walnut Hill man is accused in a shots fired incident in Pensacola.
Robert Douglas Green, 34, was charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault, three counts of deadly missiles, felony criminal mischief, and two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shots fired incident at the Avery Street Grocery where deputies found 9 mm shell casings in the road and a Toyota with a shattered window. The clerk stated she was in the back room of the store when she heard multiple gunshots. She walked toward the front where she observed a female pulling and banging at the door. She watched surveillance of Green running toward an abandoned house adjacent to the store, the report states.
The victim told the ECSO that Green pulled up in a U-Haul and told her to get int with him, but she ran. When she refused to get in the U-Haul, Green pointed a handgun at her and pulled the trigger, according to the arrest report.
The report states the woman told deputies that she had only known Green for three weeks and “stopped talking to him because he’s crazy”.
The store was hit by gunfire, as was the clerk’s Toyota and a second vehicle, according to the ECSO.
Green remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond Friday morning.
Jubilee Church Back To School Giveaway Is Saturday At Fairgrounds
July 22, 2022
Jubilee Church will hold a back to school giveaway on Saturday, July 23 at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. until noon, or while supplies last.
Jubilee Church and community partners will distribute free backpacks filled with school supplies, hygiene products and snacks. Local barbers and hairstylists will provide free haircuts for children, and a generous box of food and produce will be provided to participating families.
In addition, community partners are set to provide helpful information about youth disaster preparedness, health screenings, vaccinations and more. There will be free entertainment and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 will perform demonstrations. There will also be food trucks on site.
The ECSO K-9 unit will be performing demonstrations, and there will be plenty of entertainment. Food trucks will also be on site.
To serve as a volunteer, click here to register or visit Jubileepensacola.com.
Woman Drives 25 Miles From Atmore To Molino With Assault Suspect On Her Hood
July 21, 2022
A woman drove about 25 miles from Atmore to Molino with a man on the hood of her vehicle following a domestic disturbance Wednesday.
The Atmore Police Department said the man and woman allegedly had a dispute on the north side of Atmore. She drove away — with the man on her hood — and traveled south through Atmore on Main Street and into Florida on Highway 97, police said.
The victim called 911, telling dispatchers that the man assaulted her. She told Florida deputies that he became violent and struck her in the face, and she got into the vehicle with her children. She continued to say that she was in fear that if she stopped, he would beat her more.
She said she fled with children in the vehicle and the perpetrator on the hood, according to the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office. She remained on the phone with 911 until deputies stopped the vehicle on Highway 97 at Crabtree Church Road in Molino, near the Tom Thumb.
D’Anthony Marquise Smith, age 29 of Brooklyn, New York, was charged with domestic violence related second degree misdemeanor assault with the intent or threat to do violence.
According to the ECSO, Smith was transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS for minor injuries to his toe before being booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson said the victim had not yet filed a report with Atmore Police about the alleged assault in Atmore.
The female has not been charged with any crime.
Pictured top: The first Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy on scene conducts a traffic stop on a SUV Wednesday on Highway 97 at Crabtree Church Road. The suspect is believed to be the individual seen on the roadway to the right of the SUV, while the victim is to the left in the photo. Pictured first below: Another view of the traffic stop as more deputies arrive on scene. Pictured bottom two photos: The investigation was moved under the canopy at the Tom Thumb during a rainstorm. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour and reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Century Drops Some Late Fees From ‘Confusing’ Utility Bills
July 21, 2022
The Town of Century has cut some late penalty fees for water, sewer and gas customers.
The town council recached a consensus this week that the wording of utility bills had just simply become confusing and needed some updates to reflect current policies,
For instance, a recent utility bill we examined stated that the total current amount due was $135.38, and if payment was not received by July 15, the balance would be the same $135.38 “which includes a $5.00 penalty” that was not actually added. The bill also indicated that a fee of $10 for water and $10 for gas will be applied to the account, in addition to more fees on the 24th of the month.
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“This is kind of contradictory because they’re saying $5 up top and the bottom is saying $10,” council member Sandra McMurray Jackson said as she brought the confusing bill to the attention of the entire council
“I also looked at my bill this month and that was really confusing to me also,” council President Luis Gomez, Jr. added.
The council voted to eliminate the $5 fee, which may have been printed on the July bills by error. They also voted to eliminate the $10 each penalties for water and gas bills not paid by the 15th of the month.
“We’re living off of fixed income and if you take in that kind of money out of the household, it’s already hard to pay the rest of your bills or buy you a piece of chicken or a piece of bread,” local resident Herman Pleasant told the council at a meeting this week.
But the other late fees will still apply for customers that have not paid by the 24th of the month, which may also mean they will be disconnected.
Going forward, the billing policy to be stated on bills will be:
“This bill is due upon receipt. If not paid by the 24th, a penalty of $25 for water and $30 for gas will be added and services will be subject to disconnection on the 25th with no further notice. This is the only notice you will receive.”
The town also plans to use a larger font for the “only notice you will receive” statement because the town does not call or mail late payers before disconnections. The town currently cuts off service for about 30 later customers per month.
Adjustments will be made to the next business day for weekend and town holidays.
The town is currently exploring options to move to an electronic meter reading and billing platform with online payment availability.
Storm Topples Tree (Almost) Into Bratt Home
July 21, 2022
A thunderstorm toppled a tree almost into a Bratt home Wednesday afternoon.
The pecan tree came down in front of a home just off Highway 4 about a mile east of Northview High School. The tree barely hit the home, doing just very minor damage to the edge of a porch.
No one was home at the time. The resident said that if she had been home, her car would have been parked where the tree fell.
The peak wind gust recorded by the weather station at Northview was 34 mph. A special weather statement from the National Weather Service warned of winds possibly up to 40 mph from the storm.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview NJROTC Cadets Conduct ‘FOD Walkdowns’ Cleaning Up Two Local Parks
July 21, 2022
The Northview High School NJROTC performed a little community service Wednesday, and learned a new skill at the time same time.
The cadets picked up trash at Travis M. Nelson Park in Bratt and at the Byrneville Community Center.
They walked methodically side by side in what’s known as a foreign object debris (FOD) walkdown. On the deck of an aircraft carrier or a runway on land, sailors conduct FOD walkdowns scanning for any foreign objects, no matter how large or small, to prevent mishaps.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
